My recap on the intro, chapters 1 and 2:
This book is really putting things into perspective for me. I have had my reservations about diving into the field of journalism at this point in time because of (what seems to be) the downfall of newspapers. Briggs, however, is re-boosting my enthusiasm.
He discusses how newspapers had their struggles when phones came into play, but things quickly turned around. These new technologies ended up helping the industry, rather than the expected hindering. This information can give the current age, of so many new technologies, an optimistic outlook on what journalism and the media will be in the future.
Briggs also stresses that we need our young generation to grab the new technologies and take over. The older generation is so used to the traditional ways of newsgathering and reporting. College students, and those fresh into the working world, are starting with a clean slate. They have the opportunity to grasp this new age with a contemporary feel.
Chapter one came close to overwhelming me with all of the information. On the other hand, I’m glad someone is finally taking the time to explain all of these web-based techniques. It made me realize that I don’t know as much about the web as I’d like to. I had planned to borrow this book from a friend, but now that I see there’s so much it can teach me, I think I can make the investment.
When it came to chapter two, I was happy to learn the benefits of using a blog. Briggs talked about how when the internet first started to develop, people wanted their own websites. Unfortunately, many of those people would focus more on the aesthetics of the site, rather than what the site contained. This all changed when there was a medium that created the web-page for you. Blogs allow people to focus on what’s important – the content.
Thank you, Briggs, for all of the important information that you have crammed into my assigned first two chapters. I sense that it will come in handy.
